The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-09-08
THE FARMERS BOY.
MAKE THE OLD HOME" MORE
ATTRACTIVE TO HIM.
The Rising Generation Of Farmers
Boys the Mainstay Of the Land-a
few Thoughts Worthy Of Considera-
ton.

baltimore Manufacturers RecordI
One of the most cheering indica-
tions of the prograss of the South is
the large attention it is giving to the
rising generation. The men Of to day
are working for the future as we'll as
present. The sentiment pervading all
the States of the Union, in so far as
the native population is concerned, is.
we must fit our youth to use wisely the
splendid heritage into which they are
soon to enter. Amid all the hustle
and hurly-burly Of these stirring times,
that thought IS coming more and more
to the front and prompting men to ac-
ton. The solid foundation on which
every civilized nation stands secure is
Its agricultural population. Destroy
that, and the death knell OF the nation
would be sounded. Wealthy men by
liberal benefactions have founded such
great universities as the Johns Hopkins,
the Tulane, and the Vanderbilt
States have built up others like that of
Mississippi, or the Agricultural and
Industrial College just coming into
existence in North Carolina. The
Manufacturer Record rejoices in all
these institutions and recognizes their
surprising value. But something more
is needed. The one course of the
South to-day is that SO many of the
brightest of its youth are leaving home
for other sections. 1t is useless to ig-
norc the fact let us rather seek the
remedy. To find it we must get at
its cause. Why do any of the South
ern farmers boys leave home? For
this, their natural Surroundings cannot
be the reason, for no part of our broad
land has greater natural attractions or
equal opportunities for success in life.
If nature is not in fault, who is1 That
is the question. The Manufacturers
Record believes that the greatly in
creased circulation Of newspapers has
much to do with it. We do not, there
fore, oppose journalism, not by any
means. If we had our way the circu-
lation Of the daily and weekly press
should be increased until every family
in the land took one or more news
papers. There is no possibility of
over reading in America. The dan
ger lies in Its opposite. "a little
knowledge is a dangerous thing" says
the proverb, and the experience Of the
human race confirms its truth. The
less one knows the greater his danger !;
the more one knows the greater his
safety. Why then do we say that
newspapers are disturbing the minds
Of farmers boys and Turing them form
the farms to the cities? Because we
wish to show the cause and the remedy.
What is the newspaper Of to-day but a
mirror Of the busy world of yesterday ?
If it fails to be that it ought to be sup
pressed. Every farmers son or daugh-
ter who reads the papers feels stirring,
an impulse, for something broader and
more exciting. Life within the mar
row horizon of farm seems to be dull
in comparison with that which pulses
and flows in the cities. "Oh, if We
could but get where something is going
on, how happy We should be-" say
these discontented youth. Pretty soon
the boy catches up his bundle and
starts in search of his fortune. In very
many cases he fails to find it, and looks
back with longing, aching heart to
the home he abandoned 1t is too
late for him to return, however, and
so he plods along in a duller routing
than that of the life he was SO eager to
escape. Such has been the experience
of tens of thousands of farmers sons
in the great cities and towns in all
parts OF our country. How then shall
the glamour the newspapers create in
the minds of our farmers boys be
blown away1 We think the grangers
of North Carolina have discovered the
true remedy for the evil. Put in few
words, it is this: Give the boys and
girls something to look forward to
with delight. The encampment and
institute at Mount Holly was their ex-
pertinent in this direction. 1t is to
be repeated next year. Its real mo-
tive, underlying all Others. vas to give
to agriculture that social life that every
one, except a misanthrope, desires
The farmers institutes, held at Con-
cord and other places in that State,
are helps in the same direction. AT
all there has been that taught that
would prove Of real benefit There
has been also an interchange of social
amenities that are not possible to the
same people on their widely separated
farms and plantations. An honest and
innocent frolick in which farmers and
their families participate must conduce
to the good of all. Let gatherings oi
the Mount Holly kind be initiated
throughout the South. They will give
new life to parents and children.
A. 1.lo II